WHEN SHOULD A PREACHER STEP DOWN?

Revelation 2:5“Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.”

As more and more preachers “come out of the closet,” admit affairs; and fess up to beating their wives, the Christian church experiences serious discord and loss credibility. For the sake of this post, let’s put race aside and address the negative spiritual hits the body of Christ is enduring as a whole. When it comes to spiritual matters, race isn’t an issue anyway – right is right, and wrong is wrong. Morality is colorless.

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In these Last Days, 1 there is a shake-up in America’s Christian assemblies like no other time in history – at least, not to my recollection. Satan is striking at the very heart of Christ – His church – (the assembly, believers, congregation, “the Church which is His Body, Ephesians 1:22; 5:23). If you ever watched the Jerry Springer show, you would have a good idea how Satan operates. He stirs up confusion – steps back with his arms crossed, and watches the drama unfold. As he does so, he laughs, smirks, relishes in the fact that he could make God’s people act as ugly as sin. He accuses the children of God to God’s face – day and night. (Revelations 12:10).

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Who is to say that it isn’t God Himself shaking things up? We live in critical times, and many souls are dying in increasing numbers daily – without Hope. Can anyone prove that God isn’t purging the church of false preachers filled with lying wonders? Could it be that Christians have been lulled to sleep over the years, and the Holy Spirit is stirring up spiritual waters all over the world? I asked the question in the title of this post, “When Should a Preacher Step Down?” Here is a biblical answer for all to ponder.

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He should step down if:

He is not a true, beloved, and genuine child of God in the faith (1 Timothy 1:2)

He teaches false doctrine, although no one says anything (1 Timothy 1:3)

He is lawless and unruly, ungodly, unholy, profane, murderer, fornicator, abuses himself with men, lies, a false swearer, living contrary to sound doctrine according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God…” (verses 8-11)

He is not without reproach, unfaithful to his wife, not sober-minded, lacks self-control, disrespectful, inhospitable, unable to teach, (1 Timothy 3:2).

He is overbearing, quick-tempered, is given to drunkenness, violent and pursues dishonest gain. (Titus 1:7)

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If a preacher is weak, and afraid to tell his flock the truth so they will be saved, he has no business proclaiming the Word in the pulpit. If he is more concerned with popularity and money than lost souls, he will bear fruit in this manner – it will show forth in his life and life-style. If he can’t stand before the congregation and proclaim the truth of God’s Word:

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“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

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If a preacher can not speak the Words of God with all humility and concern for lost souls, then by all means – he should step down – immediately! This issue isn’t about tolerance, acceptance or taking sides. It is about lost souls that our Lord Jesus died for. This is not about, “touch not my anointed.” It is about redeeming the time – winning souls – snatching them from eternal damnation. Look around you – “the harvest is plentiful.” But where are the true workers in the Kingdom of God? (Luke 10:2)

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I would also like to add that abusive leadership should step down as well. If you beat or berate your wife and children, you have no business in a position over other members. The Bible calls this type of person a “hypocrite!” There are too many pastors and others who hide behind the Bible and cowardly abuse their precious families. Wolves in sheep’s clothing. Step down!

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“In their greed they will use good-sounding arguments to exploit you. The verdict against them from long ago is still in force, and their destruction is not asleep”. 2 Peter 2:3- God’s Word Translation)

Bible in Basic English
“And in their desire for profit they will come to you with words of deceit, like traders doing business in souls: whose punishment has been ready for a long time and their destruction is watching for them.”

“How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)

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“Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless…”

“When is it time for a Pastor to step down? Why does it seem that Pastors are only willing to step down once the consequence of their actions has all but destroyed the unit of the congregation? This topic was recently covered on Church Folk Revolution Radio and it sparked a very heated debate. With every breaking news story involving a pastor and some sort of scandal, more and more church goers are confronted with the issue of integrity in church leadership.“

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